A portrait of resilience and ambition, Tasha Ghouri is a British model, dancer, author and TV personality who has turned deafness into her strength. From becoming the first deaf contestant on Love Island to reaching the final of Strictly Come Dancing, she has championed disability representation in entertainment and fashion. Her advocacy work, brand partnerships, podcast, writing, and public appearances highlight her commitment to normalizing deafness and promoting inclusivity. As of 2025, she remains a rising voice in entertainment and social advocacy — inspiring many with her journey.
Who is Tasha Ghouri
Tasha Ghouri — full name Natasha Amber Ghouri — was born on 11 August 1998 in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, England. She is a model, dancer, author and television personality. Deaf from birth, she has worn a cochlear implant since the age of five.
From the very start, Ghouri embraced dance. She trained in ballet from age three and later studied commercial street dance. After finishing school, she moved to London where she signed with a modelling agency and worked as a self-employed dancer. Her early career included commercial dance and runway modelling.
Tasha’s identity is deeply tied to lived experience: she calls her deafness her “superpower,” reflecting a philosophy of empowerment rather than limitation.
Early Career: Dancing, Modelling and First Breakthroughs
Ghouri’s first major public breakthrough came in 2020, when she appeared in the music video for “More Than Words” by Sleepwalkers featuring MNEK. The video featured deaf and hard-of-hearing dancers, and Ghouri’s participation helped highlight representation of the deaf community in mainstream pop culture.
In 2021, she gained further visibility when she modelled for ASOS in an ad campaign for earrings — and made headlines because her cochlear implant was clearly visible. That campaign attracted praise from several disability-support charities, and it helped challenge stereotypes about appearance and disability in fashion.
These early steps set the tone for what Ghouri would increasingly stand for: visibility, authenticity, and challenging norms about disability, beauty, and talent.
Breakout Moment — Love Island and Cultural Impact
Tasha Ghouri’s public profile soared when she joined the eighth series of Love Island in 2022. She became the show’s first deaf contestant.
While on Love Island, she openly discussed her deafness and use of cochlear implant, helping raise awareness about living with hearing impairment. Her presence sent a powerful message about inclusion and diversity in reality television.
By the end of the season she and partner Andrew Le Page finished in joint-fourth place after spending 58 days on the show.
Her appearance on Love Island significantly boosted her social media following — she reportedly amassed over 2.2 million followers across platforms.
However, the visibility also came with challenges. She faced online trolling and ableist abuse mocking her deaf accent and speech. This negative experience underscored the stigma often faced by people with disabilities — but Ghouri used the attention as motivation to further her advocacy.
Love Island wasn’t just about romance or fame — for Tasha, it became a platform to normalise deafness, promote British Sign Language, and encourage empathy and understanding toward the deaf community.
Transition into Advocacy, Brand Representation, Writing and Media
After Love Island, Tasha leveraged her fame to build a career rooted in advocacy, representation, and creative output.
In late 2022 she became the first “pre-loved” ambassador for eBay UK — marking the first time a fast-track show alum collaborated with a non-fast fashion retailer to promote sustainability and second-hand fashion.
In addition to eBay, she struck deals with major brands including L’Oréal, Ann Summers, and others — lending her voice and visibility to brands that may not have previously prioritised disabled representation.
At the same time, she branched into content creation and writing. She launched a podcast titled “Superpowers with Tasha,” where she explores themes of disability, identity, empowerment, and celebrates differences.
She also published a novel, “Hits Different,” co-written with Lizzie Huxley-Jones. The book is a romantic fiction that centres on a deaf protagonist who dreams of becoming a dancer — a storyline with clear parallels to Tasha’s real life.
Her second book, a memoir titled “Your Superpower,” recounts her upbringing, journey with deafness and cochlear implant, and reflections on representation, identity, and resilience.
Through these projects, Tasha deepened her role as a disability activist and advocate, using personal narrative to foster understanding and empathy.
Dancing Spotlight — Strictly Come Dancing and Breaking New Ground
In 2024 Tasha Ghouri took on another high-profile challenge: competing on the 22nd series of Strictly Come Dancing, paired with professional dancer Aljaž Škorjanec.
She became the second deaf contestant ever on the show.
Her participation attracted attention not only because of her background, but because of the unique challenges involved. Tasha has spoken candidly about “concentration fatigue,” a result of constantly lip-reading or using her cochlear implant in noisy rehearsal and live-band environments. At times she would take short power naps to reset.
Despite these challenges, Tasha and Aljaž danced 16 routines over 13 weeks, achieving an average score of 9.33 and finishing as runners-up.
Her success on Strictly not only demonstrated her talent and determination, but also challenged assumptions about disability and performance. It further raised public awareness about how people with hearing impairments can participate in professional performance with accommodations, resilience and support.
Challenges and Resilience: Facing Trolls, Fatigue, But Holding On
Tasha Ghouri’s journey hasn’t been without hardship. The exposure that came with reality television and public life brought online abuse. After Love Island, many people mocked her speech and deaf accent. On Strictly, the abuse resurfaced — sometimes intensely. In interviews she revealed how she’d sometimes cry, feeling the weight of representing the deaf community and fearing that she might have “let them down.”
She also spoke of “concentration fatigue” — the mental strain caused by lip-reading or trying to pick up sound via her implant, especially in rehearsals with loud music. This may sound like a small detail, but in performing arts, every nuance matters: rhythm, timing, audio cues — all require hearing or adaptive strategies.
Through it all, Tasha maintained that deafness is not a limitation but a difference — a superpower. She has repeatedly used her platforms to call out ableism, advocate for sign-language learning, and to normalise neurodiversity and disability.
Her advocacy gained further institutional recognition in 2025, when she was named Head Judge for Sense — a major UK charity supporting deafblind and disabled people. This position reflects her growing authority and leadership within disability advocacy.
Recent Trends (2024–2025): What’s Next for Tasha Ghouri
As of 2025, Tasha Ghouri stands at an exciting juncture in her career — evolving from reality-TV breakout to multi-faceted media personality, author, advocate and role model.
Her role as Head Judge at Sense Awards shows not just her star power, but her influence in disability representation and inclusion.
Her experiences on Strictly and public discussions about concentration fatigue and online abuse have sparked broader conversations about accessibility in entertainment — how production companies, dance shows and media outlets must adapt to include people with disabilities.
Moreover, her fashion and brand collaborations suggest a growing shift in the fashion industry: more brands are embracing inclusivity, real bodies, and authenticity — not just “perfect” or conventionally abled models. Her eBay pre-loved ambassadorship, for instance, not only promotes sustainable fashion but challenges fast-fashion norms, while simultaneously pushing disability representation forward.
Her writing — both fiction and memoir — gives readers an honest and relatable window into life with deafness, the joys and struggles, the prejudices and breakthroughs. These works contribute to a broader cultural narrative about difference, acceptance, and empowerment.
As societal attitudes shift, figures like Tasha are playing a critical role. She is part of a growing movement — in media, fashion, literature — where disability is neither hidden nor pitied, but accepted and celebrated.
Why Tasha Ghouri’s Story Matters
Tasha Ghouri’s journey stands out not just because of fame, but because of what she represents. She is living proof that disability does not equal inability.
She challenges long-standing stereotypes about what a model or dancer “should” look or sound like. She uses her visibility to bring awareness, not only to the deaf community, but also to anyone who feels different.
Her success across multiple fields — reality TV, dance, modelling, writing, advocacy — underlines the idea that identity and talent are distinct. Deafness is part of who she is, but it doesn’t define her in terms of limits.
Her openness about challenges — mental fatigue, hate, online trolling — also contributes to a more honest conversation about fame and disability. Instead of glossing over difficulties, she addresses them, normalising vulnerability and showing resilience.
As more people like her enter public life, it helps shift cultural norms toward inclusion — in fashion, media, entertainment — giving broader representation for deaf people and other disabled communities.
Practical Lessons from Tasha Ghouri’s Journey
From Tasha’s experience, one can draw several practical lessons for individuals and for society at large:
For Individuals and People with Disabilities
Embrace identity: Tasha defines her deafness as a “superpower.” Accepting and owning one’s identity — including disabilities or differences — can be a source of strength.
Build on strengths: Tasha used her talents in dance and modelling to build her career — rather than letting her hearing impairment limit her choices.
Use visibility wisely: By being open about her cochlear implant, her journey, her struggles — she turned stigma into conversation. Vulnerability can be powerful.
Self-care and boundaries matter: She acknowledged and adapted to “concentration fatigue.” For anyone living with disability or chronic conditions, knowing one’s limits and honouring self-care is crucial.
Advocacy through action: Participation in mainstream platforms (TV shows, modelling) can change perceptions. Advocacy doesn’t always need protest — sometimes representation is enough.
For Society, Media and Brands
Representation affects perception: Casting someone like Tasha normalises difference and builds empathy. More inclusive casting can challenge stereotypes in subtle, powerful ways.
Accessibility must be considered: When media producers include people with disabilities, they must also adapt: subtitles, sign language interpreters, supportive working conditions, rest breaks — to level the playing field.
Fashion & entertainment industries benefit from diversity: Real stories, real people, real bodies — diverse representation enriches cultural narratives and attracts broader audiences.
Responsible fame matters: Public figures with disabilities often carry extra weight — representation, responsibility — but they also can drive social change if supported respectfully.
FAQs
Who is Tasha Ghouri and why she is famous?
Tasha Ghouri is a British model, dancer, author and television personality born deaf. She gained fame after becoming the first deaf contestant on Love Island (2022), and later reaching the final of Strictly Come Dancing (2024), among other modelling, writing, and advocacy work.
What makes Tasha Ghouri unique in the modelling and entertainment industry?
Her uniqueness stems from being a visibly disabled person — she uses a cochlear implant — and succeeding in fields often exclusive and able-bodied. She challenges preconceived standards of beauty, ability and talent, promoting inclusivity and representation.
Has Tasha faced challenges because of her deafness?
Yes. She has spoken publicly about “concentration fatigue,” a mental strain caused by constantly lip-reading or processing auditory information via her implant — especially during dance rehearsals. She also endured online trolling and ableist abuse mocking her deaf accent. Yet she transformed those challenges into advocacy and strength.
What has Tasha Ghouri done to promote disability awareness?
Tasha has used her social media influence, public appearances, and personal narrative to raise awareness. She’s launched a podcast about disability as superpower, written a memoir and a novel centred on deaf protagonists, worked with mainstream brands to promote inclusivity, and taken on leadership roles such as judging for a major charity supporting disabled people.
What can we learn from Tasha Ghouri’s journey?
We can learn that identity and difference are not liabilities but strengths. Embracing who we are, working with our talents, and using visibility to create inclusion and empathy can help dismantle prejudice. Her journey is a powerful example of resilience, self-acceptance and social advocacy.
To Conclude
Tasha Ghouri’s life and career are nothing short of inspiring. From the quiet strength of living as a deaf child with a cochlear implant, to dancing on world-renowned stages, from reality TV fame to serious advocacy, she demonstrates that difference can be a superpower, not a burden. Her story shows how resilience, talent, honesty and purpose can combine to challenge social norms and redefine representation in media, fashion and public life. As she continues her journey as author, influencer, dancer and advocate, Tasha Ghouri remains a shining example of courage and change — proving that obstacles can be stepping stones to transformation.
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